The Vermont watchman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1883-1911, 1887-04-27
Tea and Coffee.

Something good to eat and drink is
the daily plea of humanity, from the
cradle to the grave, from the monarch
on his throne to the pauper in his
howell. No science is more generally
interesting than that which explains
the common phenomena of life. From
a long experience l am led to believe
that q great number of diseases which
atflict the human race are the direct
effects of transgression of the laws of
diet and hygiene. There is no ques-
ton the doctor is more frequently
asked than What shall | eat and what
can l drink ?' and it is one of the most
important ones the conscientious physi-
clan is called upon to answer. 1t seems
never to enter the minds of large
majority of people that some care in
regard TO what they eat might save
themselves a spell of sickness, but
when sick all that then is necessary is
to take drugs. Nature never intended
that life should depend on tonics, blood
purifiers, etc., for its longevity, but on
the best the earth, and the study of
man in preparing, can produce. Good
food, rich in heterogeneous matter
fruits of all kinds, beef, mutton, with
some fish and fowls the feed that
Nature provides to keep this complex
machinery called man running. "But
what shall l drink, doctor? Do you
regard tea and coffee hurtful 20 Tea is
a nerve stmulant, not food; it carries
no nutriment to the body, but is kind
of false comfort. 1t relieves WEAKNESS,
and so people give it high place in
their daily food. Take, for instance,
the girls who work in our large cities
and are obliged to carry lunches, who
drink tea three or four times during
the twenty-four hours. In short
time they represent literal starva-
ton. Coffee is a food, as well as
nerve tonic. 1t does not make dys-
pepsia, prevents waste in tissue and is
strength giving. There is no drink that
mankind has made use of which con-
tains so many excellent, with so few
evil, qualities as that of coffee. Per-
haps an answer to the question,
(which is the most injurious, tea or
coffee ?'' can be best given in the Ian
guage of Abdel Kader, son of Moham-
med, translated from the Arabic: go
coffee, thou dispellest the cares of the
great, thou bringest back those who
wander from the paths of knowledge.
Coffee is the beverage of the people of
God. The truth is not known except
to the wise, who drink it from the foam
ing coffee-cup. God has deprived fools
of coffee who, with invincible obstinacy,
condemn it as injurious. Coffee is our
gold, and in the place of its libations
we are in the enjoyment of best and
nobest society. Coffee is even as inno-
cent drink as pure milk, from which
it is only distinguished by its color.
larry with thy coffee and the good
God will partake in your feast. Every
care vanishes when the cup-bearer
presents the delicious chalice. 1t will
circulate freely through thy veins, but
will not rankle them. If thou doubtest
this, contemplate the youth and beauty
of those who drink it. Grief cannot
exist where it is, sorrow humbles itself
before its powers; in it is health. Let
this be the answer to those who doubt
its qualities; In il we drown our adver-
sites and in its fire consume our sor-
rows. Whoever has seen thy blissful
chalice will forever scorn the wine-cup.
Glorious drink, thy color is the seal of
purity. Drink with confidence and re-
gard not the prattle of fools, who con-
denim without foundation" And now,
when at some future time the science
of dietetics shall have simplifed the art
of healing, the preventive system of
medicine will then be the most import
ant and in consequence the number
of maladies greatly diminished.